Former teacher, coach, guidance counselor, principal, school superintendent, horse breeder and U.S. Congressman William ‘Bill’ Goodling passed away Sunday evening September 17, 2017. Bill was born in his paternal grandparent’s home and general store in the square of Loganville on December 5, 1927 and was the last born child of the Hon. George A. Goodling (1896-1982) and Annetta J. Glatfelter (1897-1954).

Bill attended the two-room Loganville School House through the eighth grade and graduated from William Penn High School in 1945. After a one-year matriculation at York College, Bill enlisted in the Army and was part of the Occupation Forces in Japan. At the conclusion of his military service, Bill attended the University of Maryland graduating in 1953.

Upon graduation, Bill taught, was guidance counselor and coached sports at Kennard Dale High School while completing his Master’s degree at Western Maryland College. After five years in the Kennard Dale school system, Bill became Principal of West York High School while continuing his Doctoral Studies at Penn State University. In addition, he served as President of the Dallastown Area School Board and supervised student teachers in western Pennsylvania as part of his Doctoral studies at Penn State. After ten years with the West York School District, Bill became Superintendent of Schools for the Spring Grove Area School District for seven years.

After twenty-two years in public education as a hands-on educator, Bill decided to make a dramatic career change and he ran for the U.S. 19th Congressional Seat being vacated by his father. Winning election in 1974 to the 94th United States Congress, Bill went on to serve thirteen terms (26-years), serving as Chairman of the Education and Workforce Committee for the last six years of his service in the House. He also served on the Foreign Relations Committee and Small Business Committees. Bill retired from the U.S. House of Representatives in 2001 returning to his farm in Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania to breed thoroughbred horses, founding and chairing the Goodling Family Literacy Research Institute at Penn State University, founding and chairing the Goodling Workforce Skills Center at Penn State York, establishing the Goodling Teacher Scholarship Fund, singing in the Loganville Emmanuel United Methodist Church choir and becoming a vocal fan of the Central York High School Boys Volleyball team.

Bill could accurately be described as a classic Compassionate Conservative, closely aligned with the policies of President George H.W. Bush. He brought a unique expertise to the U.S. Congress from his career as an educator and administrator and was recognized by his congressional peers for his expertise and leadership in that area. His legislative accomplishments, particularly in the field of education were fueled by his passionate belief in the power of the public education system. Known as the ‘Father of Even Start’ it was the program he cared about the most and his signature legislative achievement. The Even Start Program provided federal funding to families requiring access to training and support to create a literate home environment and enhance the academic achievement of their children. The programs goals were to: Help children to reach their full potential as learners (early childhood education); Provide literacy training for parents (adult education); and help parents to become full partners in education of their children (parenting education). The idea for the program was based on Bill’s own experience in York schools where he saw the inability of kids learning to read harmed by an intergenerational weakness because their parents couldn't read and thus couldn't help their children to do so. The concept of the program was to help teach both parent and child to break that cycle of illiteracy. Bill’s tireless leadership was also instrumental in improving and shepherding through passage in the House of Representatives the following significant national pieces of legislation: the Federal Elementary and Secondary Education Program Act, the Vocational Education Act, the Post-Secondary Education Act and the Adult Education Act. Bill was also a tireless champion for the School Lunch and Child Nutrition Act.

Politically, Bill was a leader known for his ability to work across the partisan divide to forge political consensus. Bill was seen as a person who would work across the aisle with both Republicans and Democrats alike and was much more interested in getting things done than in what was politically expedient. He was a man who built relationships with fellow House members as regionally and politically diverse as Carl Perkins from rural Kentucky to Gus Hawkins from inner city Log Angeles to Newt Gingrich from suburban Atlanta, Georgia and Dick Armey from Texas.

On a personal level, Bill exemplified the citizen legislator as he never preferred to be in Washington D.C. for long. Bill would get anxious to head back home to York, often making the trip back by car in the middle of the legislative work week to events back in his home district and then turning around at the crack of dawn to get back to Washington D.C. for the next day's business.

In 1957, after being introduced to the big sister of one of his Kennard Dale High School students, Bill married the former Hilda Mae Wright. Hilda was a farm girl from Hopewell Township, York County, the daughter of Margaret McGinnis Wright and James Wright. Together, Bill and Hilda, also a passionate educator, forged and navigated a fifty-year marriage partnership ending with Hilda’s death in 2008. Bill is survived by his son Todd, daughter and unparalleled care-giver Jennie, son-in-law Christian Engdahl, big sister and big brother: Nancy J. (Goodling) Hershner of York and Richard A. Goodling of Waynesboro, VA. Bill was preceded in death by two beloved sisters and a brother: Isabel D. Goodling of Loganville, Patti L. (Goodling) Levis of York and Robert M. Goodling of Loganville.

A memorial service, open to the public, honoring the life and public service of Bill Goodling will be held on Friday September 29 at 7:00 pm at the Codorus Church of the Brethren, 1129 Dunkard Valley Road, Dallastown, PA 17313. A brief social will be held in the church’s Fellowship Hall following the memorial service.

The family kindly requests that any memorial contributions to honor Bill’s life be made to the ‘Bill and Hilda Goodling Teacher Scholarship Fund’. The Bill and Hilda Goodling scholarship fund provides financial assistance to local college students who have chosen a career path in public education. Contributions should be made payable to the ‘Bill and Hilda Goodling Teacher Scholarship Fund’ and sent in care of Jenni Goodling to the following address: 1520 Niles Road York Pa 17403.

Arrangements by the Etzweiler Funeral Homes and Cremation Service, 1111 E. Market St., York, PA 17403.